Best Emmy Cut-eye: Ian Somerhalder

Oh, I watched this over and over again. It’s so painful – he and Lea Michele are presenting, have a bit of scripted ‘unscripted’ banter, he has the last line with “right” and then moves on with “okay –“, but she can’t help herself. She says, “You were supposed to say yeah”. And he looks at her, the way you might look at an alarm clock that you already turned off that’s still buzzing. Like “yes, I know. Whatever. God.” She, of course, responds with nervous giggle, the “oops did I do something I didn’t mean to now he hates me” of TV presenting, and we’re off.

Now before I continue, let me stress that I bet I’ve already spent more time thinking about this than he has. I doubt he’s offended.

But I’ll tell you who did think about it: Lea. For most of the night. Because it wasn’t a seamless, perfect entrance. But also, it was her fault. For a girl who prides herself on being a professional, she sure didn’t roll with it. No improv here. So she comes off the goody goody, who tattles on her partner, when does it really matter, Lea?

If you’ve not guessed, this bothers me, I guess, because I could have seen myself doing this. Right up to the age of about 15. You learn to let things go. Especially when someone is as relatively gentle with you as Somerhalder was; take it easy, stop with the nervous giggle, and spare everyone else the mundanity of having to listen to you whinge about what you should have done.

And as for you, Somerhalder, you were graceful under pressure and good to her when she was so awkward. And we generally love your blue steel look and a collective cheer has gone up that Vampire Diaries is on the air. So with all that in mind – what’s with the collar flap on that hair? Are we to assume Damon is newly serious and neglecting haircare? Or is it a leftover from a summer movie that still has pickup shots to do? Are you trying to transition into something?

Seriously, what gives with the long hair? Please cease doing this. That would be great. Thanks for being nice to nerdy girls.

(Lainey on Lea: it wasn’t the worst of the red dress lot, no, but the hair was much too heavy for it, ended up weighing her down. And did you watch the poseharding during the arrivals show? It’s not just gossip blogs calling out her goddamn poseharding. Sarah Hyland from Modern Family did it on tv. Click here to see. All true, but, not that I enjoy defending Lea Michele, but this is a fight Sarah Hyland will lose every single day.)